The present disclosure refers to an atomizer, e.g., a rotary atomizer, and a method for applying a single-component coating agent (e.g. a single-component paint) and a multi-component coating agent (e.g. a multi-component paint) or two different multi-component coating agents (e.g. two different two-component paints), e.g., to car bodies, their attachment parts, truck cabins and/or their attachment parts.
During surface coating of car bodies a number of paint layers are usually applied in successive painting zones using different atomizers specific for the respective paint layer. For example, two painting zones are needed for painting trucks. A single-component metallic paint is applied in the first zone and then a two-component clear coat is applied in the second zone. However, this mode of operation only applies to a very small percentage of the bodies to be coated. The largest part of the bodies to be coated are, for example, coated with a Uni-paint (a single-coat base paint) which does not require any clear coat to be applied afterwards. Thus the second painting zone in which the two-component clear coat is applied is only seldom used and used to capacity, but is still necessary to have.
The disadvantage with this arrangement is, in particular, the division into a number of painting zones and painting cabins and the associated need for additional painting robots each with a different paint-specific application technology. Furthermore the maintenance and servicing required is more extensive due to the different paint-specific application equipment being used.
WO 2008/058650 A2, US 2009/0277378 A1, US 2005/0074562 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,735 A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,239 A, DE 297 19 535 U1 and DE 103 58 646 A1 disclose further technological background information.
There is a need to solve or overcome the above described problems or disadvantages. The present disclosure thus relates to this requirement of the prior art and to other requirements.